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A major element of the allure of the Final Fantasy crossover set for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the manner countless cards narrate iconic stories. Cards like Tidus, Blitzball Star, which offers a glimpse of the character at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated Blitzball pro whose key technique is a unique shot that pushes a defender aside. The card's mechanics reflect this perfectly. Such flavor is widespread in the entire Final Fantasy set, and not all joyful stories. Some act as poignant reminders of tragedies fans remember vividly to this day.

"Moving stories are a key element of the Final Fantasy legacy," noted a lead designer on the set. "We built some overarching principles, but ultimately, it was primarily on a case-by-case basis."

Though the Zack Fair card may not be a competitive powerhouse, it stands as one of the release's most clever pieces of narrative design via gameplay. It skillfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal cinematic moments with great effect, all while capitalizing on some of the set's key mechanics. And while it doesn't spoil anything, those acquainted with the saga will quickly recognize the significance behind it.

How It Works: Story Through Gameplay

For one mana of white (the alignment of good) in this collection, Zack Fair enters with a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 counter. By spending one colorless mana, you can remove from play the card to give another ally you control indestructible and transfer all of Zack’s counters, as well as an artifact weapon, onto that target creature.

These mechanics depicts a sequence FF fans are all too know well, a moment that has been revisited throughout the years — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline retellings in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it hits just as hard here, expressed entirely through card abilities. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Moment

Some necessary context, and take this as your *FF7* spoiler alert: Before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a battle with Sephiroth. Following extended testing, the pair get away. Throughout this period, Cloud is comatose, but Zack makes sure to take care of his companion. They finally make it the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by Shinra soldiers. Abandoned, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the identity of a elite SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Moment on the Game Board

Through gameplay, the abilities in essence let you recreate this entire event. The Buster Sword is a a top-tier piece of armament in the collection that requires three mana and grants the equipped creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can make Zack into a solid 4/6 with the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has intentional synergy with the Buster Sword, letting you to look through your library for an equipment card. When used in tandem, these pieces play out like this: You play Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Because of the way Zack’s sacrifice ability is worded, you can actually use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “block” an attack and activate it to prevent the damage altogether. So you can do this at a key moment, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a formidable 6/4 that, each time he strikes a player, lets you pull extra cards and play two spells at no cost. This is precisely the kind of interaction alluded to when discussing “flavorful design” — not explaining the scene, but letting the mechanics evoke the memory.

More Than the Central Combo

And the flavor here is deeply satisfying, and it goes further than just these cards. The Jenova card is part of the collection as a creature that, at the start of combat, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a chosen creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This kind of implies that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER conditioning he received, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. This is a subtle connection, but one that subtly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the expansion.

Zack’s card does not depict his end, or Cloud’s trauma, or the rain-soaked bluff where it all ends. It doesn't have to. *Magic* allows you to recreate the legacy for yourself. You choose the ultimate play. You pass the sword on. And for a fleeting moment, while enjoying a card battle, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most impactful game in the series for many fans.